Andrew Balding has two leading contenders for Finals Day after Old Harrovian and Storm Star were among the winners at Newcastle’s All-Weather Championships Trials Day.
All six winners of today’s Class 2 handicaps are eligible for free entry to the corresponding Finals Day race, as well as a £15,000 bonus should they go on to win on Good Friday.
Lingfield Park stages the other All-Weather Championships Trials Day on February 28. Any horse that wins at both Trials Day meetings in the same category and goes on to win at Newcastle on Finals Day will be eligible for a total bonus of £35,000.
Old Harrovian cruised to victory in the Extra Winnings With BetUK Acca Club Handicap over 10 furlongs, setting himself up for the BetUK Easter Classic on Good Friday.
Settled in last of the nine runners by Callum Hutchinson, the lightly raced six-year-old hardly came off the bridle as he stormed clear close home to win by just over three lengths.
This victory provides a form boost for fellow Middle Distance hopeful Glen Buck, who had Old Harrovian back in second when winning at Southwell earlier this month.
Storm Star looks a strong player in the Mile division after notching a second victory over Newcastle’s straight course in the BetMGM: It's Showtime Handicap.
Always in a handy position, Storm Star enjoyed a clear run up the rail to win by a length, with the Roger Varian-trained duo of Fantastic Fox and Dragon Icon filling the places.
Last season’s Fillies & Mares’ champion Cloud Cover showed her class in the Best Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Fillies' Handicap over seven furlongs, under a fine waiting ride from Clifford Lee.
A Listed winner in France last time out, Cloud Cover still had five rivals in front of her passing the furlong pole but only needed to be nudged out to collar Callianassa and Staincliff in the closing strides.
Winning trainer James Tate said: “That was a cracking ride – and Clifford gave her an equally good ride on Finals Day last season. He was very, very cool.
“We will have to see what the handicapper makes of it, but I would think that was a career best from Cloud Cover. Even if she goes up in the handicap, if she turns up on Finals Day in that sort of form, she is going to be tough to beat.
“She will head to Kempton next for the Snowdrop Stakes on March 29 and then it will be back to Newcastle for the final on Good Friday.
“She will be covered by Kingman at some point. It could be before or after those races as the covering season generally runs from March to May, so we will work out when to slot that in.”
G3 scorer Marshman got his career back on track with victory in the Weekly £5 Free Bet With BetUK Handicap over six furlongs.
Lining up after wind surgery and a gelding operation, Karl Burke’s five-year-old spied a run between rivals entering the final furlong and got up to beat Run Boy Run by a neck.
Marshman was winning off a handicap mark of 102, having been rated as high as 113 following his victory in the G3 Prix Sigy in April, 2023.
Marathon candidate Roaring Legend overcame a 10lb rise in the weights as he posted a comfortable victory in the Win £1M With BetMGM's Golden Goals Handicap over two miles.
A six-length winner at Wolverhampton last time out, Hugo Palmer’s five-year-old travelled smoothly into contention and never looked in danger as he held the fast-finishing Wise Eagle by half a length.
Palmer said: “Roaring Legend has done it nicely. He travelled strongly through the race and the result never looked in doubt. It is lovely to have another nice staying prospect for owner Alan Peterson, who also has Zoffie with us.
“Roaring Legend is going to go up in the handicap again, but it is nice that he has won a good prize today. He has lots of options now, be it Finals Day, the Chester Cup or the Northumberland Plate. I have also nominated him for the Dubai Gold Cup.
“There is another trials meeting at Lingfield Park next month and I would imagine he will head there next. My guess is that we will take it one race at a time and then take stock from there.”
Three-Year-Old contender So Darn Hot gave 7lb claimer Warren Fentiman his biggest victory to date in the Weekly Free Bets With BetMGM Extra Handicap over six furlongs.
Trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy, So Darn Hot came through along the rail approaching the final furlong and stayed on strongly to beat Yes I’m Mali by just under two lengths.
Yes I’m Mali had beaten So Darn Hot by a neck in a five-furlong handicap at the track in late November.
The winning trainer said: “That was a nice performance from So Darn Hot. This race had been the plan since he won at Doncaster in early November. We decided to give him a run at Newcastle over five furlongs to see how he handled the track, knowing that the trip would be too short.
“We will aim him at Finals Day now and he could run once more in between, possibly in late February. He has done very little wrong in his career so far and I think there is more improvement there. He could get seven furlongs later in the year.”
